The Coalition has forced NBN Co to commit tens of thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ money to respond to a futile and malicious smear campaign against CEO Mike Quigley, the Minister for Broadband, Communication and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy said.

Senator Conroy said the Senate Estimates hearing last night again vindicated Mr Quigley and proved he had not been involved in any wrongdoing at Alcatel-Lucent.

“Mike Quigley has been the victim of an appalling smear campaign and the evidence provided to the Senate Estimates hearing last night should end this matter once and for all,” Senator Conroy said.

“As Mr Quigley explained yet again in a detailed statement to the Senate Estimates hearing, he was never involved, never investigated and never questioned about the corrupt activities of his previous employer.

“Last night’s Senate Estimates hearing generated no new evidence that Mr Quigley had anything to do with the wrongdoing of Alcatel-Lucent in Central America seven years ago.

“The Coalition wasted the vast majority of the four hours of Senate Estimates time allocated to NBN Co, by attempting to re-litigate a five year investigation by the US Department of Justice and the Securities Exchange Commission which cleared Mr Quigley of any wrongdoing.

“The Coalition spent just 17 minutes on the rollout of the NBN, including questioning the priority given to regional Australia.

“The Coalition are hypocrites. They demand detailed answers and then complain about the cost of preparing them.”

Date: 17 June 2011
Contact: Lyall Johnson 0408 258 457

 

 

 

Senator the Hon Nick Sherry
Minister for Small Business, Minister Assisting on Deregulation and Public
Sector Superannuation, Minister Assisting on Tourism

 

Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate

 

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The Australian Government has unveiled a $ 12.4 million program to help small-to-medium businesses and not-for-profit organisations across Australia take advantage of the enormous online opportunities offered by the National Broadband Network (NBN).

 

The Digital Enterprises initiative is a key element of the National Digital Economy Strategy announced today by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy.

 

The program will provide advice to businesses in NBN early rollout areas on how to use the NBN to diversify their operations, Senator Conroy said.

 

This will assist them to improve their online presence, transact online, offer new products and services, expand their market, improve their competitiveness and increase their means of communicating with customers and suppliers.

 

It will also assist not-for-profit organisations to engage online to expand their reach into the community and increase their donor pool.

 

Maximising the benefit of the digital economy requires action by all levels of government, industry and the community as a whole that is exactly what this program will help achieve.

 

Small Business Minister, Senator Nick Sherry, said the program was another important step in Australias quest to be among the worlds leading digital economies by 2020 and reinforced the importance of small business in that vision.

 

Australias future prosperity depends on a vibrant, dynamic and innovative small business sector, Senator Sherry said.

 

Taking full advantage of the opportunities offered by the NBN and the online environment is important to Australia and important for the small business sector.

 

By embracing the digital economy small businesses can improve productivity and maintain their competitiveness both in Australia and internationally.

 

CANBERRA

 

31 May 2011
Media contacts:
Lyall Johnson 0408 258 457 (Conroy)
Joe Scavo 0413 800 757 (Sherry)

 

NBN Co announced today it had signed a contract with Optus worth up to $ 200 million to provide managed satellite services and satellite capacity. The contract is subject to final design and implementation of the full network. A second contract has also been signed with IPStar for additional satellite capacity worth just over $ 100 million.

 

Senator Conroy said the NBN Co Interim Satellite Service, commencing in July 2011, brings forward the availability of enhanced broadband services for rural and regional Australians, and delivered on the Governments Commitment to Regional Australia which was signed with the Independent members in September 2010.

 

“Today’s announcement is an important milestone in the delivery of improved broadband to regional, rural and remote Australia, Senator Conroy said.

 

The Interim Satellite Service is an exciting next step in the rollout of the NBN that will allow tens of thousands of underserved Australians the opportunity to access fast and affordable broadband at speeds they have never before had available to them.

 

The new service represents a substantial improvement in speed and performance over satellite services currently available under the Australian Broadband Guarantee.

 

NBN Co will manage eligibility for the service through a set of business rules, ensuring that first priority is given to those who do not have alternate broadband access.

 

NBN Co will be offering a 6 Megabit per second (Mbps) download / 1 Mbps upload wholesale satellite service beginning with a trial this month ahead of launch on 1 July 2011. Between July and November, up to 300 new end user services will be connected per month during a transition period. From November, up to 1000 connections will be made per month.

 

The May trial will be used to test the expected customer experience and I welcome the feedback from people and retail service providers surrounding their experience of the new service, Senator Conroy said.

 

NBN Co will meet the cost of the installation and maintenance of satellite dishes and other terminal equipment, which will remain the property of NBN Co.

 

Senator Conroy said the Interim Satellite Service would provide a wholesale broadband service to retail service providers as a replacement to the current Australian Broadband Guarantee (ABG) program.

 

“The ABG has provided an effective safety net for Australians unable to get an adequate broadband service, Senator Conroy said.

 

However, the ABG was not designed to deliver the step change in performance required to bring forward enhanced services to rural, remote and regional Australia.

 

The NBN Co Interim Satellite Service is the first step in bringing about this change ahead of the long term satellite launch in 2015, Senator Conroy said.

 

Existing customers of ABG services will not be affected.

 

For more information on the NBN Co Interim Satellite Service visit: www.nbnco.com.au

 

Date: 6 May 2011
Contact: Suzie Brady 0408 258 457

 

 

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy Senator Stephen Conroy today welcomed an announcement by NBN Co that construction would shortly begin on the National Broadband Network (NBN) in Stage two communities in Tasmania.

 

Over 11,100 homes and business will be connected to the NBN in the communities of Deloraine, Kingston Beach, George Town, Sorell, South Hobart, St Helens and Triabunna.

 

“The delivery of the NBN in the first three communities was completed on time and on budget and Im pleased to see construction on the next phase of the rollout will begin from the end of the next month,” Senator Conroy said.

 

Construction can begin following the finalisation of a contract between NBN Co and Conneq Infrastructure Services. Aurora remains as NBN Cos Tasmanian agent for the rollout.

 

“The NBN will be rolled out progressively in the seven phase two locations to make the best use of the workforce. All sites will be underway by early October.

 

“Construction will take between four and six months at each site and services in the first communities will be available from the second half of next year.

 

“Detailed planning work has already been carried out at each of the locations and I look forward to work getting underway shortly. NBN Co will be using the lessons learned from the stage one in the delivery of the next phase.”

 

Maps of the fibre rollout in the next phase are available at: www.nbntasmania.com.au

 

Premises not covered by fibre will have access to either next generation wireless or satellite services, with an interim satellite due to be available from July this year and wireless by the middle of next year.

 

Date: 28 April 2011
Contact: Suzie Brady 0408 258 457

 

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today said new statistics released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) further highlight the critical need for the National Broadband Network (NBN).

Senator Conroy said the latest statistics confirm once again that Australians pay more for broadband than people in most other OECD countries.

“These OECD statistics are further evidence that Australia cannot afford to stand idly by with our ageing copper network and sub-standard broadband services,” Senator Conroy said.

“The NBN will provide Australia with world-class broadband infrastructure. It will open up a genuine choice of services and drive competitive prices for consumers, whether they live in a capital city or in regional, rural or remote areas.”

 

According to the OECD statistics regarding average broadband subscription prices, Australia is:

 

• 3rd most expensive for very low-speed connections (out of 24 countries)
• 14th most expensive for high-speed connections (out of 33 countries); and
• 12th most expensive for very high-speed connections (out of 28 countries)

Senator Conroy said the recent passage through both Houses of Parliament of theNational Broadband Network Companies Bills 2010 and the Telecommunications Legislation Amendments (National Broadband Network Measures-Access Arrangements Bill 2011) will further assist in reducing broadband prices for all Australians.

 

“The Government expects retail prices for high speed broadband services offered on the NBN will be both affordable and very competitive for all Australians no matter where they live,” Senator Conroy said.

 

“If Australia wants to remain competitive in our region as the world moves to a 21st century digital economy, then we need to act now. The NBN is about investing in the future and the Gillard Government is getting on with delivering it.”

 

The OECD broadband statistics can be found at www.oecd.org